Vehicle-wheel.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

E S BRYANT VEHICLE APPLIOATIOE' TILED 110v. 7. 1904.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

M Q a W WITNESSE:

m W h y M U m U No. 798,916. PATBNTED JULY 4:; 1905. R. S. BRYANT.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. '7. 1904.

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WiTNESSES: INVENTOR ifmfiani 5.,Hzya W2:

life. 793,916.

Patented July 4t, 1905.

Mi ion Smarts i arnivi? Ornien.

RICHARD if).

TION OF Ol lil O.

BRYANT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT STEEL "WI-:I'EEL & RIM COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO,

A COitPOitA- WEl llGLlE WHEEl...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,916, dated il'uly 4t, 1905.

Application filed November '7, 1904. Serial No. 231,712.

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, RioiIAnI) E5. Barnum, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement ii'1Vel1icle-\Vl1eels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in vehiclewheels.

The object of the ii'ivention is to provide an improved sectional or built-up wheel structure which while useful in many appli 'eations is particularly adapted for use in connection with pneumatic and cushion tires and for application to motor-vehicles.

It is, furthermore, designed to produce the wheel from sheet metal which is stamped, cut, or otherwise formed into the several sections of the wheels and the cooperating sections brazed, so as to convert them into an integral body which will produce a strong, durable, and efiicient wheel construction.

W'ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction and operation, a preferable embodiment of which is described in the speciiication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the wheel, SllOWli'lg some of the parts in eleva tion. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel, taken on the line a: m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line;/ ;i of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a transverse vertical sectional view through one of the spokes, taken on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an inner face view of one of the half-sections;

and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional viewof the half-section taken on the line 1m of Fi 3 t? 3, provided with a central circular openings for the reception of any suitable or preferred type of hub, (not shown, as the hub feature forms no part 0 f the present invention.) From the central portion 3 the spoke-casing members 5 radiate, said spokes being pressed, stamped, or otherwise formed into semicircular or semielliptical shape, as best indicated in Fig. at oi. the drawings, with the convex faces of the spokes at the outer side of the \VllGGl-SGClilOI'l. The outer ends of the said spoke members are connected by an integral rim portion, which is bowed or bulged outwardly at 6. From this bowed portion extends an annular flange 7, which after the two sections of the wheel have been united is bent inward to form in 6 5 cross-section with the portion 6 a semi-elliptical socket, as clearly set forth at 6 and '7 in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the rim portion 6 is disposed at the outer side of the plane of the central portion of the wheel-section and the spokes are disposed at the opposite or inner side of the section, so that when the opposite wheel-sections are brought together, with the edges of the corresponding spoke members in mutual engagement, the free edges of the bowed rim portions 6 are separated by an annular interspace. Prior to bringing the opposite wheel-sections together inner semitubular sheet-metal spoke 8c members 8 are fitted snugly in the spoke members 5 of one of the wheel-sections. -',l.he inner spoke members taper outwardly and are arranged two in each of the spoke-sections 5 in such a manner as to have their meeting 5 edges lying in the centers of the concaved portions of the spokes 5 when the wheel-sections are brought together, thus breaking joints with each other, as clearly set forth in Fig. 4t. From this it will be apparent that continuous openings or lines of intersection extending entirely through the spoke members 5 and 8 are avoided, thereby greatly strengthening the structure, which becomes, in fact, a single integral member when the wheel is brazed, as hereinafter set forth. Each spoke member 8 is formed at its inner end with a curved olls'et flanged member or portion 9, which has a fiat face and is formed intermediate its ends with a semicircular depression or recess 10. The offset portions 9 of each of the half-spoke members 8 converge toward each other, as shown in Fig. 1, and register with the half-spoke member disposed in the spoke-member casing 5 on each side thereof. The portions 9 having their faces in engagement cylindrical openings are produced by the semicircular recesses 10. These openings register with apertures 11, formed in the central portions 3 of the wheel-sections, through which suitable bolts may be passed. The portions 10 are secured together by rivets 12, passed therethrough and upset on either side. The outer ends of the half-spoke members 8 extend beyond the spoke members 5, and the half members 8 of each adjacent spoke are connected by means of concaved semielliptical stretcher-pieces 13,which are formed with upwardly-bent concaved ends 1%. The concaved ends 1% fit snugly against the extended ends of the half-spoke members 8 and are rigidly secured thereto by rivets 15. It will thus be seen that the spoke members 8 are rigidly secured together, and by observing Fig. 1 it will be apparent that a wheel within a wheel is formed, which when secured together produces a strong and substantial structure.

Between the rim portions 6 of the wheel is disposed a substantially U-shaped circumferential rim member 16, snugly litted, so as to bridge the interval between the rim portions 6 and resting upon the outer ends of the halfspoke members 8. The rim member 16 is held in place by the annular flange T, which is curved or bent inward to impinge the said member, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, after the wheel-sections have been placed together and the rim member 16 inserted in position. By this construction the rim portions 5 are reinforced and greatly stiffened and strengthened, and a strong and substantial socket for the tire (not shown) is provided.

All the meeting edges of the opposite wheelsections and parts are brazed, so as to form a strong, rigid, durable, and water-tight joint between the parts, and thereby to obviate the employmentof separate fastenings, which are liable to break and work loose, and thus render the wheel weak and unserviceable.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth, as I may make various changes in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A wheel composed of opposite half-sections each section being formed of sheet metal and provided with semitubular spokes and a semitubular rim-section, inner spoke members arranged in each section the spoke members of one section being united to the spoke members of the other section, means for connecting the outer ends of the spoke members with each other, and a supplemental rim member resting upon the outer ends of the spoke members and held rigidly in position by the semitubular rim portions of the sections.

2. A wheel comprising opposite half-sections having semitubular spoke members and inner tubular spoke members fitted within the outer spoke members and projected through the inner ends thereof, the inner projected end portions of adjacent inner spoke members lying in mutual contact, each of said members having depressions adapted to register with each other and form bolt-receiving openings, and means for securing the said members together.

3. A wheel comprising opposite sections having semitubular spoke members, inner tnbular spoke members, fitted within the outer spoke members and projecting therefrom, and stretcher-pieces extending between and con nected to the projecting end portions of the adjacent inner spoke members.

at. A wheel comprising opposite sections having semitubular spoke members which are open at opposite ends, inner tubular spoke members fitted within the outer spoke members and projecting beyond the inner and outer ends thereof, the inner projecting ends of the inner adjacent spoke members lying in mutual contact, said ends being formed with recesses to form openings, stretcher-pieces for connecting and bracing the outer projecting ends of the adjacent spoke members, and a circumferential rim member resting upon and closing the projecting outer ends of the inner spokes.

5. A wheel comprising opposite sections having semitubular spoke members which are open at opposite ends, inner tubular spoke members fitted within the outer spoke members and projecting beyond the inner and outer ends thereof, the inner projecting ends of the inner adjacent spoke members lying in mutual contact, said ends being formed with recesses to form openings, stretcher-pieces for connecting and bracing the outer projecting ends of the adjacent spoke members, and a circumferential rim member resting upon and closing the projecting outer ends of the inner spokes, the said parts having their meeting edges brazed to bind them together.

RICHARD S. BRYANT. In presence of- A. L. PHELPS, M. B. SoHLnY. 

